Ingredients capable of providing trigeminal effects, such as cooling effects, constitute compounds of paramount importance in the flavor industry. Cooling agents are usually described as providing cold or cool sensations when contacted with the human body and, in particular, with the mucus membranes of the mouth, nose and throat. These ingredients are widely used in edible products, drinks, dentifrices, gargles, but also in cosmetics, tobacco products, abrasives or lotions. Menthol or (−)-(1R,2S,5R)-3-p-menthanol has been widely described and used as a cooling agent. However, in addition to its cooling effect, the latter compound presents the drawback of having an astringent bitter taste with a typical mentholic aftertaste, in particular when used at high dosages in applications. This property limits its use in compositions or products which have dominant non-minty flavor tonalities, such as fruit flavored applications.
This particular problem associated with the use of menthol has been already tackled in the prior art. In particular U.S. Pat. No. 6,627,233 addresses the problem of using peppermint oil which mainly comprises menthol, and which imparts peppermint notes in non-peppermint flavored products. More particularly, this document outlines that menthol presents strong mentholic flavoring notes and “harsh notes” defined as a bitter, harsh and burning taste. This statement is made within the framework of applications in chewing gums and the document suggests, as a solution to this problem, the use of an association of menthol with menthone and a so-called “physiological cooling agent” selected from the group consisting of menthyl succinate, acyclic carboxamide, menthyl lactate, 3-1-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol, N-substituted p-menthane carboxamide, menthone glycerol ketals and mixtures thereof. However, the latter agents are all artificial cooling ingredients, and are consequently of limited use in terms of dosage in particular in confectionery, beverage or savoury applications due to their non-natural status.
Therefore, in view of the existing prior art, there is a need to develop cooling compositions that do not raise legal issues and that can be used in no limited dosages, in a wide range of applications.
The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned problems by providing a novel composition which develops excellent cooling sensations without mentholic detrimental notes, said composition being at the same time entirely natural.